KEY POINTS:
A "bogan" car modified by young people and used by Christchurch police to illustrate the folly of illegal modifications has had an extreme makeover.
Automotive refinishing students at Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology have made the plain white vehicle a little more eye-catching for teenagers when police take it on tour around local high schools and events.
The vehicle, donated by a local car sales yard, was modified by students on an automotive course at the Waimakariri Youth Development Trust to highlight a range of faults and modifications often found on vehicles stopped by police.
Half the car was modified to conform with Land Transport New Zealand rules; the other half was incorrectly changed.
Waimakariri District Council spokesman Chris Neeson said the car had been "in hot demand" at local shows and events and at high schools, where students were encouraged to check the car and list its faults.
"It acts as a magnet wherever it goes, providing an opportunity for police to mix with young people and talk to them, not only about illegal modifications but also about other road safety issues," Mr Neeson said.
The polytech students will unveil the new-look car today.
- NZPA
